Symbolic books

The expression symbolic books (from the Greek symbolon summary [of faith], creed ) is a historical name for the collection of confessional writings of a Christian group, with which they emphasize their characteristics and differences from other groups.

The "three ecumenical symbols" are among the classic Christian creeds

• Apostolicum , apostolic symbol (= creed)
• Nicenum
• Athanasianum

For the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the traditional symbolic books are the Confessio Augustana (1530/1540), Philipp Melanchthon's Apology of the Augsburg Confession (1531), Martin Luther's Schmalkaldic Articles (1537), the two formulations of the Catechism and the Formula Concordiae from 1580, with which the demarcation from Catholicism and finally from Calvinism happened.

In the post-Reformation period, the obligation to use symbols as a commitment to confession was a controversial Protestant topic.

In the 20th century, this designation fell out of use and has been referred to as confessional documents ever since .

See also

• Christian creeds , book of agreements

literature

• Schleiermacher: On the peculiar value and the binding reputation of symbolic books . 1819
• Johann T. Müller: The symbolic books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church . Gütersloh 11th A. 1912.